5 weeks old

Pups after a busy play session outside

The pups have had a very busy week.  Mother Nature has given us some amazingly warm days, and the pups have been enjoying the great outdoors.  When awake, they play hard, with each other and their toys.  They have also had many visitors, including men and young children.  The pups gained another 1 1/2 lbs each this week, all weigh at least 6 lbs and Zeus weighed in at 7 lbs.  Bridget is starting to wean the pups, telling the pups off when she is on empty.  Her milk production is also decreasing and I have decreased her rations to 7 1/2 cups of kibble per day.  This morning I got out her "do not nurse me" T-shirt and bloomers.

Puppy pics

Puppy pile.  Zeus looking up.  I put collars on Zeus and Pele for the first time to start getting them used to wearing collars.  I will remove the collars when I am not home since not needed for ID and collars pose a small safety risk.

Odin on a little changing station with springy fabric.  Another Goodwill find that is proving to be a fun puppy toy.

 Pele and Venus with Grandma Yuma

 Venus with Yuma

Pele with Yuma

Escapee

When I opened up my bedroom door this morning, I was greeted by Pandora!  She seemed very content having the living room to herself last night after presumably climbing over the taller half gate.  Obviously she had been loose for some time since there were two little poop piles in the hallway.  Purple girls tend to be the clever ones.  The half gate has now been removed, so Bridget will no longer be able to get into the pen at night or while people are gone.  Bummer since the pups are only 4 weeks old, but Bridget hasn't been going into the pen much on her own any way.  I have another gallon of goat milk on the stovetop ready to get pasteurized.

First outside adventure

 Athena and Pandora

 Athena

 Athena not so sure about wet feet

 Isis, the little explorer

 Venus

 Puppy recall

 Puppy recall, but someone is going the wrong direction

Pandora and Athena, first encounter with grass

Puppy pics 4 weeks old

 Pandora and Pele

 Handsome Odin

 Pandora got her head stuck in a new toy.  The paper roll got put away until the pups are a bit bigger.

 Poor Pandora

Cute little Pandora

4 weeks old

4 weeks old and turning into little dogs.  They have a full set of baby teeth (poor Bridget), are eating and drinking from a bowl, and are fully mobile.  I have bumped out the puppy pen to full size (a double ex-pen) and the litter box is getting very well used.  The pups gained approximately 1 1/2 lbs each last week.  Weights range from 4 lbs 10 oz (Athena) to 5 lbs 10 oz (Zeus), and Pele is the first female to reach 5 lbs.  Together, the pups weigh over 45 lbs!  Bridget is still on full rations and nicely maintaining her body condition.  At the end of this week, I will start reducing Bridget's kibble amount.  Now is the time to really start showing the pups the world.  A bit more challenging being a winter litter.  I am rotating and adding to their toys.  They are spending lots of time outside the pen, and I am leading them as a puppy pack into new parts of the house.  The TV or radio is on much of the time, and I have been clapping, popping bubble wrap, and making other sounds to get them used to lots of different noises.  Yesterday, it was even warm enough for a short outing outside.  In addition to petting and cuddles, we are doing rude petting (feet, ears, tail, mouth) and rolling them over to cradle them on their backs.  They have already had 3 or 4 nail trims.  I have also introduced them to a brush, and have wrapped a soft piece of cloth around their little bodies to start getting them used to wearing "clothes".  A few visitors have come over already, and more will start coming over after 5 weeks of age.

Puppy close ups

 Apollo

 Odin

 Pandora

Venus